Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-11-28
4 GROWING EVIL.
rhe Disarrangement OF the Natural Pro-
portion of mates and Females.
PhiladeIphia Record.

portion of males and Females.
Philadelphia Record.
Perhaps there is no other country in the
world that holds out such euticement to
rural life as the United States. Our lands
are cheap, and the methods of cultivation
have been wonderfully improved by in
ventive skill so that much of the hardest
drudgery of the farmer has been done
away with. The facilities for Transports
ton have fully kept pace with the spread
of agricultural industry so that even the
farmer in Dakota and Montana finds
his market in the great centers
of European and American ciVillZa-
ton. But Notwithstanding all these
facilities for the ownership and .cultiva-
ton OF land the tendency of the popula-
ton is urban rather than rural. The
cities are growing faster and faster, and
the population OF the country proportion
atelY slower. When the first census Was
taken, in 1890, the population OF Phtla-
GelDhia was only one-tenth part OF the
population of the state. The city of New
York stood in the same relation to the
remainder Of the state. But in 1880
Philadelphia contained nearly one fifth Of
the population of Pennsy lvania and New
York nearly one-fourth of the population
Of New York state. Besides, it must be
remembered that in 1880 the city popu-
lation of these two stat 8 was by no
means confined, to Philadelphia and the
city of New York. II other cities had
been taken into the calculation the drift
from the country to the city and the en-
ormous changes in the manner of our liv-
ing incident thereto would be more start
lingly apparent. The general tendency is
best disclosed by a comparison in the
total populations in 1870 snd 1880. In
1890 the whole population was 1929 PA,
and there were six cities in the country
with population of 13l ,472. II 1880 the
total population was 80, l55 783' and 2S6
cities had population OF ii 3lS,547 Out
Of every 100 inhabitants in 1890 80 lived
In the cities; out OF every lou in 1880 22.5
lived in the cities.
The tendency in all civilized countries
Is toward urbane life. There seems to
DE comfort in crowds. The people Of
cities are now more readily fed and shelf
ered than Yves the case in former times,
owing to the ease and cheapless with
which the good gifts Of the country may
be brought within their reach, snd this
doubtless is the main reason for the dis
pr Jportion6te increase OF the Inhabitants
in the cities as compared with the coun-
try. AS city constituencies grow they
have an effect on legislation, aud the
country is made to suffer by IN
equal laws that favor the in
| dustries of the towns to the
expense of the industry Of the farms.
1t may DE doubted whether the drift
from the country to the city is 8 perma
nently advantageous movement. Il Gre
stes some inconvenience and disparities
| that are certainly antagonistic to the well
| fare of the masses. Take, for instance,
the distribution of the sexes. In all
countries there are more males born into
| the world thau females. This is doubt
less wise provision Of nature against
| the moving accident by field and Fl )od
which to greater extent assail the lives
If the male members of society, in con-
sequence of their ruder occupa-
lions. But the eXigencies OF
civilization that send young
men to the frontier and keep
Young women to the cities reverse the Or
der Of nature. There is an excessive male
population in some parts of the country,
and an excessive female population in
others. In California there are five male
70 three females, and in Colorado there
sre nesrly two males to one female.
This disproportion is balanced by dis
proportion in our eastern cities, where
he female population is in excess of the
male. rhe rsyages of war have also left
some of the southern states with IN ex-
cessiye female population.
Great evils grow out Of this dlsarrange-
ment of the natural proportions OF the
sexes Men and women remain unmar-
ried who should rear families and con-
tribute to the growth and wealth OF the
nation. Helpless aud homels So women
Did against each other in the mad strug-
gle for employment until the wages they
earn aie barely enough to sustain life
without the cheapest comforts that make
life endurable. They herd 10 tenement
houses which are veritsble nests of dis
ease and contsgion, and there they do our
laundry work, our sewing, and what not.
No precautions are taken to prevent
the work which they do there
from carrying with it and sowing
broadcast the seeds Of pestllence. The